Customizable, adaptable, multiuser computer-based role-playing method and apparatus therefor

ABSTRACT

Game client, game server, Web application server, and database server including database with data representative of a virtual world. Game client or server, or both, includes motifs, motif manager, character manager, scenes-a-faire manager, and display manager coupled to display, all in communication with game manager, and pseudorandomizer, which can instigate changing of a motif. Motifs are representative of a game character or environment. A user interface has mass sensor, accelerometer, haptic device, first device for visual input, output, or both, second device for audio input, output, or both, and tactile sensor, effector or both. Included may be automatic translator, or TTS/STT module. The online game can be virtual world representative of at least two of a northern continent, a western continent, a southern continent, a central continent, and an eastern continent. Methods provide game client, game server, and a database that manipulate character or environment motifs and scenes-a-faire.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This Application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 15/001,159 filed Jan. 19, 2016 issuing as U.S. Pat. No.9,586,146 on Mar. 7, 2017, entitled “CUSTOMIZABLE, ADAPTABLE. MULTIUSERCOMPUTER-BASED ROLE-PLAYING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR,” which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/333,402, now U.S.Pat. No. 9,278,285, filed on 16 Jul. 2014 and issued on Mar. 8, 2016,entitled “CUSTOMIZABLE, ADAPTABLE. MULTIUSER COMPUTER-BASED ROLE-PLAYINGMETHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR,” which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/239,217, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,366,554, filed on21 Sep., 2011 and issued 5 Feb. 2013, entitled “CUSTOMIZABLE. ADAPTABLE,MULTIUSER COMPUTER-BASED ROLE-PLAYING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR,”which is a continuation of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No.13/725,636, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,876,611, filed on 21 Dec. 2012 andissued 4 Nov. 2014, entitled “CUSTOMIZABLE, ADAPTABLE. MULTIUSERCOMPUTER-BASED ROLE-PLAYING METHOD AND APPARATUS THEREFOR,” all of whichare relied upon for priority and all of which are incorporated byreference herein in their entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to computer operations, in particular, tointeractive computer gaming, and most particularly, to a massivelymultiplayer online computer based role-playing game.

2. Background of the Art

A computer-based role playing game (cRPG) may be characterized bycreation of an artificial model, such as a simulated society, which isconstituted of a set of roles and rules to be performed by human users,alone or in conjunction with a computer. The latter model often iscalled a computer role playing game (cRPG), which have been in existencesince the early days of timeshare computing and, certainly, before theadvent of window-oriented graphical user interface environments. In atypical RPG, each (physical) RPG user manipulates at least one (virtual)player to enact behaviors in a simulated society in accordance with aset of behavioral rules and consequences with a goal of reaching aprescribed end. Two or more RPG users can enact distinct actions,responses, and counter-responses to match wits in achieving an end ofthe RPG. RPG players may be hostile, cooperative, or collaborativerelative to each other, and player transactions may be parallel orinteractive in nature.

In general, a cRPG can be seen as an object including plural entitiessuch as, without limitation, players, functional operatives,scenes-a-faire, habitats, habitations, habiliments, armamentaria, flora,fauna, and environments. These entities may respond to each other withbehavior patterns, typically corresponding to the provided roles andrules of the cRPG, along with an allowed range or type of playerbehaviors, which may be scripted, spontaneous or both. cRPG players canbe a human user or a “bot,” that is an executing agent of the computeremploying, for example, artificial intelligence or a programmed finitestate machine.

Frequently, entities such as players, habitats, habitations,habiliments, armamentaria, flora, fauna, and environments may beselected from preset formats. Some cRPGs permit limited modifications toselected entities, rules, roles, behaviors, and preset formats.

However, cRPGs generally are not configured to allow a cRPG user tomodify players, functional operatives, scenes-a-faire, habitats,habitations, habiliments, armamentaria, flora, fauna, environments,geospatial configurations (e.g., terrain, topography), temporospatialrelationships, ambient weather conditions, rules, roles, formats, andcorresponding behaviors and reactions of players to such modifications.In addition, cRPGs typically do not provide a mechanism by which playersadapt their behavior and intermediate goals realistically, responsive toa modification, or a mechanism by which spontaneous character orenvironmental behavior may change.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The present invention includes embodiments of apparatus and methods of amassively multiplayer online game. The online game apparatus ischaracterized by program code embodied on a medium and capable ofcausing a computing platform to execute the program code to realize aclient, or a server, or both, as well as the activity of a virtualworld. An online game can include a game client; a game server coupledto the game client; a Web application server coupled to the game server;and a database server coupled to the Web application server. Thedatabase server includes a database with data representative of avirtual world. In certain embodiments, the game client or the gameserver includes a plurality of motifs, a multidimensional motif manager,an avatar-character manager, a scenes-a-faire manager, and amultidimensional display manager coupled to a computer role playing gamedisplay, all in communication with a computer role playing game manager,and a pseudorandomizer. The plurality of motifs are representative of agame character. An avatar is emblematic of the game character. Thedatabase manager is coupled to the virtual world in which the characteris displayed, wherein the pseudorandomizer instigates a change in apreselected motif. In certain other embodiments, the online gameincludes the game client and the game server having thepseudorandomizer, the plurality of motifs, the multidimensional motifmanager, the avatar-character manager, the scenes-a-faire manager, andthe multidimensional display manager coupled to a computer role playinggame display, all in communication with the computer role playing gamemanager, and the Web application server wherein the pseudorandomizerinstigates a change in a preselected motif. The apparatus of the gamecan have a user interface having at least one of a mass sensor, anaccelerometer, a haptic device, a first device for visual input orvisual output, or both, a second device for audio input or audio output,or both, and a tactile sensor or a tactile effector or both. Theapparatus further can include an automatic translator to a predeterminedlanguage, coupled to the computer role playing game manager. Anotherfeature of an apparatus can be one of a text-to-speech module or aspeech-to-text module, coupled to the computer role playing gamemanager. The online game can be a virtual world representative of atleast two of a northern continent, a western continent, a southerncontinent, a central continent, and an eastern continent. In selectedembodiments of the MMORPGS, the game character reacts adaptively to atleast one environmental motif. Selected other embodiments of the gameapparatus may have plural game clients, plural game servers selectivelycoupled to the plural game clients; and plural Web application serversselectively coupled to the plural game clients and plural game servers.

Also included in the embodiments of the invention are a method ofoperating an online game, including providing a game client; and in thegame client: selecting a game to be played, selecting a character forthe game, selecting a virtual era for the game, selecting a virtualenvironment for the game, selecting virtual scenes-a-faire for the era,selecting at least two motifs for the character, selecting at least twomotifs for the virtual environment, and selecting at least two motifsfor the virtual scenes-a-faire. The method continues by initializing aninstantiation of the game in the game client, the character and thecorresponding at least two motifs thereof, the virtual era, the virtualenvironment and the corresponding at least two motifs thereof, and thescenes-a-faire and the corresponding at least two motifs thereof; andplaying the selected game thereof in the game client, wherein the gameis a massively multiplayer role-playing online game. In someembodiments, the method also may include at least one of: modifying thecharacter, modifying the environment, modifying the era, or modifyingthe scenes-a-faire of the online game. The method may include modifyingthe game after selecting the game. An online game method embodiments caninclude coupling a game server to the game client such that theinstantiation joins a virtual world hosted on the game server; andcoupling a database having data pertaining to the state of the virtualworld to the game server and to the game client. Some embodiments of themethod of the game include the character adapting a selected motifadvantageously. Other embodiments of the method of the game include thecharacter having a behavior; and the character adapting a behavioradvantageously.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is generally shown by way of reference to the accompanyingdrawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a generalized block diagram of a computing platformarchitecture of an embodiment in accordance with the teachings of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is a generalized functional module architecture of an online gamein accordance with the teachings of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a zoned computing platform architecture ofan embodiment, in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is an example embodiment of a method for a customizable,adaptable, multiuser computer-based role playing online game from afirst perspective, in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is an example embodiment of a method for a customizable,adaptable, multiuser computer-based role playing online game from asecond perspective, in accordance with the teachings of the presentinvention.

Some embodiments are described in detail with reference to the relateddrawings. Additional embodiments, features and/or advantages will becomeapparent from the ensuing description or may be learned by practicingthe invention. In the figures, which are not drawn to scale, likenumerals refer to like features throughout the description. Thefollowing description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but ismade merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Massive multiplayer online (MMO) games are Internet-based video games(cRPG) that can accommodate hundreds—or even thousands—of concurrentusers. A defining characteristic of most multiplayer online games isthat they present a single, integrated, persistent gaming world. Arole-playing game (RPG or cRPG) may be characterized by the creation ofan artificial model, such as a simulated society, which is constitutedof a set of roles and rules to be performed by human users, alone and inconjunction with a computer. A massively multiplayer online role playinggame system (MMORPGS) can accommodate many players each choosing acharacter of different factions, genders, races, classes, professions,missions or goals, and experience levels. In a virtual world of aMMORPGS, a player character can be graphically represented by an avatar,or graphical proxy. MMORPGS also can have non-player characters (NPCs)including animal representations, fantastical creature representations,computer system maintenance personnel, virtual world functionaries, agame master (GM), and many other interactive elements, as can beselected and modified by the MMORPGS herein. Elements of the MMORPGS ofthe present invention may be implemented in hardware, in software, infirmware, or in a combination of at least two of hardware, software, orfirmware. In software, each element constitutes a module ofcomputer-executable code that when executed, performs that functions ofthe corresponding module. For convenience, some modules may have manyimplementations, which cooperatively execute with respect to at leastone other module, in order to effect the desired virtual feature orfunction.

In general, and turning to FIG. 1, a MMORPGS 100 structured of thefundamental elements is shown. As used herein, it is assumed that atleast one virtual server is represented by a physical server, althoughit is well-known that a physical server may represent multiple virtualservers. A MMORPG system (MMORPGS) may include four basic hardwarecomponents on which the MMORPG software is hosted: (1) a game client110, to render the game for the user; (2) at least one game server 120to interact with the gaming client; (3) a Web application server 130 tointegrate with the gaming servers and clients; and (4) a database server140 to persist and retrieve data. Of course, more than one of eachserver may be used to facilitate wide-scale use, many motifs, andcomplex play. Each game client 110 may include HTTP client 112 coupledto HTTP server 132 of web application server 130, and an respective gamenetworking client 114 coupled to a corresponding at least one gamenetworking server 124. Game server 120 also includes an HTTP client 122coupled to HTTP server 132 of web application server 130. Webapplication server 130 also includes open database connectivityinterface (ODBC) 134 which is in communication with a databasemanagement system (DBMS) 142 hosted by database server 140. DBMS 142maintains data which can be representative of at least one state of theMMORPG.

A gaming client platform is not limited to one brand or type of gamingplatform, but may be represented by any computing platform capable ofreceiving commands and displaying a field of play. Of course,additional, interactive, haptic, and audiovisual elements may be addedby a player as allowed by the base gaming client. Gaming loads may bebalanced among cooperating servers, and players, tasks, or portions ofthe virtual world may be divided among cooperating servers. Also, thevirtual world represented by the MMORPGS may be logically divided intoadjacent cells, similar to familiar mobile phone cells facilitatingcharacter migration and regional hand-off, to facilitate a player movingof a corresponding character about the virtual world. In addition,depending upon the number of persons participating in the MMORPG, it maybe useful to divide the virtual world into redundant zones or shards byproviding zoned game servers, and auxiliary, coupled web servers tomaintain play, flexibility, and persistence.

Turning to FIG. 2 and given the aforementioned examples, MMORPGS 200 caninclude a multiple dimension motif manager 205 which can be used tomanipulate one or more motifs 240 or portion thereof. MMORPGS 200 alsomay include avatar-character manager 210, scenes-a-faire manager 215,multidimensional display manager 220, cRPG manager 225, cRPG display230, pseudorandomizer 235, user interface 250 and remote interface 260,all coupled functionally together. In general, these constituents aremanipulable by a Game Master, administrator or other MMORPGS manager.Pseudorandomizer 235 can instigate a change in character orenvironmental motif, for example, to cause a change of characterbehavior or to cause a blizzard. User input into system 200 may be byway of user interface 250 or remote interface 260. Examples ofsubsystems which may be used for user input via interface 250 are masssensor 251, X-Y or X-Y-Z accelerometer 252, haptic subsystem 253, visualinput (e.g., a camera with recognition) 254, audio input (e.g., voicecommands) 255, and tactile subsystem (including buttons, levers, andjoysticks) 256. Mass sensor 251 can sense mass-related actions(weight-shifting, jumping, punching), accelerometer 252 may be used forforce, tilt, impact, gyration, navigation, and other temporospatialmoves by players during game progress. Haptic subsystem 253 can providesensory feedback from the game in a manner that simulates real force(dragging, lifting, grabbing, squeezing, thumping), movement (responseto impact from other characters), thermal (warm/cool), hand control, andother human-oriented feedback. Audio input/output 254 can be by way ofmicrophone array or single microphone (or speaker array/single speaker,or both microphone and speaker), with the former simplifying tracking ofspeech during user movement. Visual input/output 255 also may be by wayof one or more cameras which may operate over different visual frequencyranges.

Remote interface 260 can include a WPAN network link 262, such asBluetooth® or ZigBee® personal area networks; a WiFi® network link 264(IEEE 802.11 or 802.16 or both); a wired network link 266, for example,a cable modem link; or a telephonic interface 268 which may be an HPNA,DSL-type or voice-grade telephonic link. Remote-type interfaces 260 mayinclude, without limitation WPAN (e.g., Bluetooth®) network connection262, an wide or intermediate range wireless network 264 (represented by“Wi-Fi”®), wired network connections 266 (e.g., 10 GbE) andtelephonic-type lines 268. The use of UI 250 and RI 260 may be distinctor may form part of an interactive dialogue of action, sound, andmultimedia experience system.

In addition, teleoperation may be accomplished using, for example,haptic subsystem 253, visual input/output 254, tactile subsystem 256,and remote network interface 260. One example of teleoperation may begrabbing an opponent character, or repairing armament, with the cRPGdisplay 230 providing satisfactory visual feedback to the user. Also,cRPG display 230 may be of high definition and be capable ofmulti-screen display, showing the point of view of the character, awidescope overhead view, a map view, and an infrared sensor view.MMORPGS 200 can be implemented in a game client, a game server or both.Moreover, each client or server may be virtual and be hosted on aphysical machine with many other respective clients or servers. It iscontemplated that, at least, multiple physical client systems will beinterconnected in an embodiment of MMORPGS 200, and that one or manyphysical server systems (e.g., game networking, Web application, ordatabase) also may be interconnected thereto.

cRPG manager 225 can be constituted one or more CPUs, GPUs, or MMUsfunctioning cooperatively to facilitate the dimensions of gameplay. Asused herein, the term “dimension” is not used merely to describe alength, height, or width, but may describe any facet of a motif,including without limitation, color, heat, temporal location, oraltitude. In addition, a scenes-a-faire manager 215 may be coupledinteractively to multiple dimensional motif manager 205, allowingscenes-a-faire to be manipulated and customized by multiple dimensionalmotif manager 205. Typically, scenes-a-faire can be a motif such as astock layout, geophysical backdrop, an iconic element, a treatment, anexpression, a character, a place, a story element, a virtual language,or another expected feature, which typically may accompany an era, aportion of the world, a game story theme, or character-types associatedwith the corresponding cRPG (MMORPG). A motif can be an instantiatedprogramming element realized within a server; a motif can be anon-exclusive characteristic of a player character, a non-playercharacter, or an environmental feature. Each motif 240 may interact withone or more other motifs 240. With the assistance of multipledimensional motif manager 205, a player can create a plurality ofpredetermined or custom motifs 240, in advance of play or on-the-fly,during play. The motifs 240 may form a representation of an activity ora physical feature, and a motif 240 may be a manipulable dimensionhaving a selectable characteristic, attribute, ambience, action, orinteraction. That is, although predetermined at first, each motif 240may be selectable, manipulable, or customizable, allowing game playersto create a dynamic role playing game experience with customized avatarshaving realistic, fantastical, or combination responses to their virtualenvironment. Avatar manager 210 may be implemented such thatavatar-related motifs, including character type (faction, race, class),physical features, habiliment, armament, or other features of a virtualplayer may be predetermined or customized. Coupled with multipledimensional motif manager 205 and avatar manager 210 can be amultidimension display manager 220, which is configured to display atleast one motif on cRPG display 230. In some embodiments, it can bedesirable to include at least one pseudorandomizer 235, which may beused to introduce a predetermined degree of instability or perturbationsinto the behavior of one or more motifs. Embodiments herein also mayinclude a cRPG manager 225, which may be used by a player to manipulatenumber of players, a game element, a character, a level of difficulty, aspeed of play, a time of play, a color, music, a sound, multidimensionalmotif manager 205, avatar manager 210, scenes-a-faire manager 215,multidimensional display manager 220, pseudorandomizer 235, or cRPGdisplay 240, as well as user interface 250 or remote interface 260.Although processing can be distributed among the managers, it also maybe possible to employ cRPG manager 225 in a supervisory-like process.Each manager can be hardware, software, or a functional combinationthereof, including firmware. In addition, functionality may not bestrictly divided among manager elements but may overlap wherepracticable.

Single player and player versus player (PvP) games may be selectedwithin MMORPGS 200. If a player selects a single-player game using cRPGmanager 225, then an Al element of the software, which may be an elementof cRPG manager 225, plays against the single player. On the other hand,a player may select a multiplayer game with cRPG manager 225, and maychoose to join a society of other players, represented by thecorresponding characters, or to play against the characters of otherplayers. A player also may choose to form and play with multiplecharacters, cooperatively, as a cooperative society, as a match, as aduel, as a skirmish or as a campaign. Using cRPG manager 225, a playeralso may choose a cooperative setting or a combat-type setting, andfurther choose a skirmish—that is, a time- and scope-limited encounterwith other characters, or choose a campaign—which may include manyskirmishes with other, less combative encounters interspersed forreplenishment, ally-forming, re-armament, nourishment, scouting, oranother activity not associated with hostilities.

Another type of game choice can be a match-type game, such ascapture-the-flag, strategic gamesmanship for domination, or cooperativeaccumulation of resources. An advantage of the embodiments hereinincludes the ability to create hybrid games, for example, a hybrid of acombat campaign in combination with a cooperative accumulation ofresources. Topological and geologic features may be accessed by cRPGmanager 225, and visualized on cRPG display 230. In this way, mountainranges, buttes, valleys, dry washes, rivers, lakes and many otherrelated motifs may be manipulated to form a custom virtual geography onwhich the game is played and visualized.

FIG. 3 is an example of MMORPGS 300, similar to MMORPGs 100, but usingzoned or sharded computing and servers. For example, game client 310 canbe communicatingly coupled to ZONE A game server 320 and ZONE B gameserver 330. Game clients 310 and game servers 320, 330 can becommunicatingly coupled to HTTP server 345 of web server 340 byrespective HTTP clients 315, 325, and 335. As before, Web applicationserver 340 can include ODBC interface 348 to communicate with DBMS 355of database server 350. Given an HTTP request, HTTP server Web server340 can produce HTML pages, for example, that game servers 320 and gameclients 310 can manipulate. Game network client 318 may be coupled toZONE A game networking server 328 and ZONE B game networking server 338.One purpose of zoning could be to allow the virtual world of the MMORPGSto be split into to zones, so that activities in one part of the virtualgame world can be handled by ZONE A server 320 and the other part of thevirtual game world can be handled by ZONE B server 330. Alternatively,ZONE A server 320 could be used to interact with character motifs andmotif manager of client 312 and Zone B could be used to interact withcharacter activity and avatar-character manager of client 312, producingvarious character functions and motif changes. In a “geographic” split,ZONE A server 320 and ZONE B server 330 may cooperatively interact toallow handoff of client 312 character from one part of the virtual worldto another. Of course, more than two shards may be used and, in view ofthe teachings herein, a person of ordinary skill in the art couldforesee other purposes for multiple game servers 320, 330, multiple Webapplication servers 340 and, possibly, multiple database servers 355.

Present embodiments provide a method for multiuser computer-basedrole-playing that is both customizable and adaptable to customizationsof an environmental entity, or a player entity, or both. In general, aplayer is a human involved in the cRPG. A player can manipulate one ormore characters, each represented by an avatar. A functional operativecan be a computer character or a manager player character, used toperform functional roles during a game. In addition to a character or afunctional operative are motifs. Motifs are plural interactive entitiesthat operate to provide a selected characteristic of a character, or ofa virtual world in which the character is instantiated. A motif caninclude, without limitation, one or more of predetermined eras (withrelated motifs pertaining to era-related clothing, armaments, tools,weapons, and the like), scenes-a-faire, anthropological features,motivations, behaviors, cultural norms, collective behaviors,anti-social behavior, altruism, negotiation, empathy, treachery,antipathy, peacefulness or combativeness, interrelationships, habitats,habitations, habiliments, armamentaria, flora, fauna, environments,geospatial configurations (e.g., terrain, topography), temporo-spatialrelationships, ambient weather conditions, environmental or behavioralrules, roles, or formats. Geospatial configurations (e.g., terrain,topography) may be depicted by a map, which may include, withoutlimitation, representations of resource motifs, hydrology motifs, orestablished trails or roads. A character may be characterized by pluralcharacter-corresponding motifs within an environment. An environmentalso may be characterized by plural environs-corresponding motifs.

Also included are a character response (behavior or reaction) or anadaptation, of a character corresponding to an environmental entitymodification. A character response or an adaptation, behavior orreaction of a character corresponding to an environmental entitymodification can be dependent upon entities such as physical setting,social setting, or feedback, social interaction, behavior, negotiation,economics, policy or dialogue processes. A character response oradaptation can result from corresponding player interaction with thecharacter, from character interaction with other characters in the cRPG,or as a result of predetermined behavior motifs established prior to orduring a game.

Hereinafter, each cRPG characteristic can be designated as a “motif,”and each motif itself may be constituted of one or more character orenvironmental entities, including ambient, behavioral, sociological,armament, habiliment, nourishment provisioning, temporospatial,hydrological, or geologic entities. A motif may represent a singularentity (e.g., hydrological—an isolated, shallow lake) or multipleentities (hydrological, thermal, and geologic—a deep alpine lake withthermal variations near a submerged hot spring). For example, a geologicmotif may include daylight, topology, altitude, seismicity, volcanism,hydrologic features (lake, river, ocean), flora, or fauna. Similarly, ameteorological motif may include factors such as local or prevailingwind presence, speed or velocity, temperature, weather change,prevailing climate, humidity, and hydrologic features (mist, snow, hail,rain, flood). A motif may be interrelated with one or more other motifs:a player's avatar may represent an old man dressed in a loinclothlocated on a mountain ridge and the old man may react to hunger, fadingdaylight, increasing wind and decreasing temperature.

A reaction may be adaptive, for example, the old man engages inbehaviors to seek shelter, safety, and warmth, for example, byinteracting with another character such as to barter, purchase, borrow,or steal needed items, may interact with the computer, or may make hisway to a desirable endpoint on his own. In the presence of othercharacters, perhaps strangers to the old man, an altruism motif may beused to determine a desired degree of altruism in the strangers relativeto helping the old man and each other. Other motifs may include anambience, a temporal (era), an anthropologic, an interaction style, atransport, a habitation, a cooperative or competitive behavior ortoolset, an altruism, a health and welfare, a compassionate interaction,a resource distribution, seeking, or hoarding, or an offensive ordefensive military motif.

Another motif may be a entity or set of behaviors corresponding toresource reuse, recycle, recovery, repurpose, or scavenging. Motifs canbe used to customize a set of scenes-a-faire to create an environment,including “background” (e.g., NPC) characters, to match or contrast withan era motif: distant past, recent past, present, future, or fantasticalmotif. For example, the previously noted man in a loincloth may findhimself in a modern-day megalopolis, which may cause him to behavedifferently than if he was placed in more rustic and rudimentary times,befitting his presumed “life experiences.” Motifs, by their nature, canbe multidimensional as well as multi-motif, including a 3-dimensional“physical” world, with other dimensions such as light, heat, color, orhumidity. Such interaction and multidimensionality of motifs is a commonfeature of embodiments herein.

MMORPGS 200 can include local game servers, zoned or sharded gameservers, and global game servers, with each hierarchical levelinteracting with another to provide continuity among players during playand as a player's character enters the functional domain of therespective server. Zoning of servers may be oriented by virtual worldgeography, by function, or by both. For example, management of ascenes-a-faire, a non-character player or an ambience may be dividedinto pertinent regions, using sharding or zoning in one or more gameservers, whereas character-related motifs may be managed locally, forexample, in a corresponding gaming client. Application ofregionally-managed features can be applied locally to the characterthrough interactions between the player game client and one or moreregional or global gaming servers. Continuity of virtual world stateover time and through virtual space can be called persistence.Persistence of the gaming environment is maintained by one or morecoordinated database management systems, which may host states,variables, and collections of elements used to preserve the appearanceof the virtual world among players, as they play, enter, or leave thegaming environment. Zoned material can be stored in basic and evolvedform, illustrating original and current environmental states of thevirtual world in each zone. To facilitate uniformity, zone data can becollected by web applications and stored in the centralized database.Distributed management facilitates flexibility and variety amongcharacters, whereas selective centralization can facilitate continuityand stability of environment and maintainence of common elements throughgame clients, game servers, web applications, and database servers.Moreover, distributed management not only facilitates continuity forlarge group play, it also enables player-to-player action play withininstances, relevant non-player character activity, or character movementacross zones.

The following is an example of an altitude motif interacting with othermotifs and a character to simulate a high-altitude city or mountainousregion. In general, altitude affects environments, surroundings, flora,and fauna as well as a game character. Relative to a character, thehigher the altitude of the player, the harder it is to breathe. Acharacter may begin to suffer realistic, negative side effects,depending on how much oxygen it is able to inhale at the high altitude.Decreased oxygen at higher altitude, without supplementation, can resultin a character exhibiting lower stamina, quickly drained energy,decreased body temperature, blurred vision, and ultimately death due toa lack of air. In a mountainous region with lower temperatures, higherwinds, and harsh or snowy conditions, the negative effects on thecharacter may be accelerated. Altitude effects or even altitude sicknessmay have a negative impact on a character to interact (e.g., to fight)with other characters. The character can be customized to be outfittedproperly for such arduous conditions, such as customized to have oxygenon hand, or to have fantastical (superhuman) lungs, or may be lesssuitably outfitted, if the player customizes the character to endure,overcome, or perish in such an environment. Pseudorandomizer 235 may beused to introduce meteorological variations which may have a negativeupon a character or characters, as well as environment and surroundings(e.g., water supply freezes). For example, the propensity of ageographic region for snowiness and the occurrence of an avalanche.

A similar geologic motif includes hydrology which also impactsenvironments and surroundings, as well as one or more characters andtheir habiliments. The hydrological motif of a region made be customizedto form a pond, lake, river, or ocean. Floods may be selected as achosen feature or may be an element chosen, for example, by thepseudorandomizer 235. However, hydrology may be an advantage ordisadvantage. An area may be made prone to become a hostile feature whenin contact with water. The more water is trapped in an area, the morelikely it is to form mud. The mud can interact with temperature to formice at freezing temperatures or below. As in the real world, one or morecharacters or certain transport motifs may slip, get stuck in mud,become trapped in or under ice, or be generally disabled. On the otherhand, a transport motif may be customized to include transportmechanisms that are able to move through mud and ice and may float onwater, when ice is broken through. As another example, in a land motifhaving an interactive hydrology motif, skillfulness of a player may helpthe corresponding character overcome hydrologic traps and hazards to thedisadvantage of other players. In a deep water or ocean motif, acharacter may be provisioned with one or more air tanks to breathe underwater for a preselected period. Characters may swim In any direction,however, the deeper the water, the greater the pressure, causingbarometric injury to consciousness or body unless gradual descent andascent, and proper oxygenation are employed. The ambient light in theunderwater motif will become darker, ultimately if a character runs outof air or dive too deep losses a limb and can't swim, he or she will dieunless someone gives them air or help to reach surface. Also, in deepwater motifs, pseudorandomizer 235 can be used to cause an increasedlikelihood of encountering oceanic wild life [some passive, someaggressive] with positive or negative outcomes, depending upon the skillof the player to manage the corresponding character in the situationsgenerated. For example, a character in a deep water motif may be huntedby a large predator and, in response, the player causes the character tohide in an undersea rock formation crevasse until the predator passes orloses interest. However, as air begins to get low, the player may causethe character to fight the predator with whatever tools given to thecharacter by the player. Generally, the underwater ambience will becomedarker and colder with depth and time of day. Ultimately, a characterwill die unless another character gives them air or helps the characterto reach surface. If player runs out of air or dive too deep losses alimb and can't swim, again, the character may die without altruisticintervention by one or more other characters. A player may use motifmanager 205 and avatar/character 210 to make changes to improve survivalchances on the fly, or may set a character's motif to have human orsuperhuman skills.

Meteorology, hydrology, and other outdoors elements can beenvironmental-type motifs, just as personal-type motifs may beconstituted of character behavioral elements such as reactive behavior,adaptability, planning, compassion, hostility, cunning, stamina,physical strength, love, peacefulness, altruism, greed, anger,antipathy, and propensity for violence. Collective character behaviorsalso may be useful motifs including, without limitation, negotiation,gathering, hunting, shopping, worship, management, peacefulness,industry, propensity for violence, or emergent collective behaviorpatterns, whether reactive or adaptive. Character motif modificationscan be achieved, for example, by use of the avatar-character manager 210and may include the multidimensional motif manager 205.

For example, a character may be created from a far distant era motif,complete with a set of distant-era-appropriate tools, and placed in amodern-era society motif, with the goal of the distant-era characterfinding ways to integrate into modern society, based on skill of thecorresponding human player. A character motif also could be drawn from acombination of current-era motif, and a fantastical or futuristic era,in which the character may exhibit non-human features (e.g., feet) andcurrent era facial and torso features. Not only may individualcharacters be created, so may groups and societies, exhibiting definedcollective behavior (e.g., military behavior or agrarian behavior),which may be relatively constant or which may be adaptive and emergent,as the realities of the virtual world changes. Such a customization mayinvolve, without limitation, scenes-a-faire manager, avatar-charactermanager, multidimensional motif manager, user interface 250 and remoteinterface 260, using cRPG manager 225 to coordinate the motifs andmanagers. Again, pseudorandomizer 235 may be used to inject stochasticshifts in appearance, play, behavior, and stability of characters andthe virtual world characteristics (e.g., rain, sun, cold).

An example of the interaction of virtual world characteristics may beseen in a desert. Deserts can have adverse effects on characters andequipment. For example, each character may be given an allotment ofwater prior to entering the desert. Desert heat will drain the waterreserves of players and equipment, leading to heat-related failures.Relative to a character, water deprivation in a hot desert environmentmay cause the character to see a mirage or to hallucinate (for example,falsely visualize water, shelter, allies, or enemies). Without beingable to distinguish mirage from reality, the character may get lost inthe desert leading to additional plights. If the character enters thedesert without boots or loses footwear, the character's well-being canrapidly deteriorate. Certain features such as shade, oases, and watercan ameliorate the character's well-being or even offset the harm of thedesert. However, a character is allotted a period of time after runningout of water after which they can die. Night-time desert climates can bebrutally cold and also may sap a character's energy and viabilitywithout the proper gear. Pseudorandomizer 235 can cause occasional sandstorms to appear, reducing visibility, and potentially causing harm tothe character's vision, as well as to vehicles and equipment held by thecharacter. The character may act to avoid harm and impairment. Nighttime travel may be assisted by moonlight, ranging from a full moon to anew moon.

The availability of natural resources affects environments andsurroundings, as well as a character, and may define wither a playerlives or dies, as processed by a game server or, in some instances, thegame client. Resources like food and water may help sustain a character.Other resources such as wood, metal, sand and other material can be usedfor construction of barriers, make-shift weapons, make-shift armor,shelter, buildings, and so on. Scenes-a-faire manager 215 can be used toallot basic resources and motif manager 205 may be used to increase ordecrease the stock amount of resources. Such allocation and provisioningmay be performed by a game server or by a client server, or may becooperative among servers. When a resource is used, it will decreaseuntil there is no more. On a map view, the gathering of resources willaffect the map, wood gathering requires one to cut down a tree, gettingwater will deplete water, and mining rocks will break away rocks. Eachreduction in feature may impact the appearance of the resource on a map.Resource gatherers may choose to consult the map for more distributeduse of natural resources, or may choose to plunder the resources of anarea—for example, if the resources belong to an opposing character.

Each motif interacts with respective characters and adapts with theevolving game, providing players with characters, features, andsituations that provide life-like simulation, as well as, perhapsmagical powers and fantastical features. Thus, fantasy battles such asJapanese Shoguns versus Norse Vikings can be realized, as well aspresent day war on terror within a modern-world setting. The remoteinterface 260 permits a player to join other players, sometimes enmasse, for a massive multiplayer role playing game with gentle andcombative groups of characters from many era, creating a virtual worldperhaps similar but perhaps very foreign to life in today's world.Although each motif is interactive with others, not all motifs arenecessarily used in a particular game. Pseudorandomizer 235 also maycause a change in behavior of a non-player character, a group, a race, afaction, or other subgroups of people. For example, a pastoral group ofa docile race may begin to become increasingly hostile when faced withadversity, and may become a warrior clan contrary to the norms of theirrace.

Turning to FIG. 4, a first generalized method 400 for engaging in aMMORPGS is presented. This method could be useful in a single-playermode of the MMORPG, where a player could roam free in a “sandbox”milieu. It also may be available to a Game Master player on a widerscale, establishing the initial or evolved characteristics of acorresponding MMORPG. A player or administrator may select a game 405,select scenes-a-faire for the game 410, select a character to play thegame 415, select an era 420 in which the virtual world of the game is tobe played, select an environment 425 or environments representative ofthe virtual world, select general behavior traits 430 for the characterof the player and other characters in the virtual environments, set upthe user interface 435 and, if external influence is expected, connect aremote interface 440. When these, among many, motifs selected, a playerthen may modify a game 445, modify scenes-a-faire for the game 450,modify a character to play the game 455, modify an era 460 in which thevirtual world of the game is to be played, modify an environment 465 orenvironments representative of the virtual world, modify generalbehavior traits 470 for the character of the player and other charactersin the virtual environments. Of course, the motifs and order ofselection and modification provided herein are solely for example, andcan be selected and modified after selection prior to commencement orduring a game.

With the basic initial points of the game established, the game statemay be initialized 475 and game play may occur by running the game 480,during which traits, behaviors, environmental conditions, and otherenvironmental and character features evolve. Method 400 alsoaccommodates modifying 485 a game on the fly to provide a differentaspect of the virtual world, to revive a player, to add nourishment,armament, or challenges, as examples only. Player v. playerfunctionality is provided to allow two players to spar or duel (PvP)independently of the evolution of the virtual world around them. Settingup the user interface 435 can be performed prior to game play, as cansetting up 440 the remote interface. Modifying interfaces is possibleduring game play, as allowed by the respective interface hardware andsoftware requirements.

Turning to FIG. 5, a second generalized method 500 for engaging in aMMORPGS is presented. Method 500 is more often to be used in a massivelymultiplayer online milieu, in which the individual player generally hasno capabilities of selection of era, environment, geography, climate,behaviors of NCPs and other characters. These facets tend to becontrolled by the Game Master or other game administrator. A player'scharacter may choose, or not, to join an adventure, battle, skirmish,collaborative effort, or expedition, which may be in progress in theMMORPG. Accordingly, the method of FIG. 5, includes setting up userinterface 505, connecting remote interface 510, selecting game server515, selecting predetermined scenes-a-faire 520 as allowed to theplayer/character, and selecting a preselected character 530. Also,modifying predetermined scenes-a-faire 525 and modifying predeterminedmotifs of a character 535 also may be features of the MMORPG. With theelements of the player's game participation thus prepared, the playerthen may advance into the game by initiating the character's role 540,and participating in the MMORPG 550. The player's skill at manipulatingand adapting the corresponding character allows an extent of modifyingthe play of the game, which may be enhanced by adaptations in othercharacters behavior in response to the corresponding character'sbehavior.

MMORPGS Character Examples

MMORPGS characters of the present embodiments may be customized byinteracting motifs corresponding to age, faction, race, gender, face,eye color, hair color, hair style, height, skin color and tone, andears, managed by the avatar-character manager 210. Body habitus may beof a human-like being or may be a shape such as a snake, dragon, orother actual or fantasy creature. A male character can have a choice offacial and body hair, and a female can select hair length, nail type,bust size, etc. Colors and styles may be realistic or may be of ananime-style color or shape. Skin color can be a natural color, or may begray, green, blue, lavender, etc. Muscles also may be individuallycustomized such as muscles on arms, legs, chest, stomach, back. Otherselectable features may include fantastical parts such as tails, wings,unnaturally-placed eyes, ears, and mouths as well as a scar or a tattoo,including appearance and placement. A player may select and adjust acharacter voice according to tone, pitch, animal or unnatural qualities.Certain stock races may be provided, although the player is free tocustomize a character or a race to fit personally-inspired criteria. Forexample, elves may look like humans with a height similar to or greaterthan that of a human. Elves may have pointed ears, which can be long andstretch back or be pointed back or be stretched up or pointed up.Instead their ears can be of medium length and pointed up and back, orhave short ears which may be flat and face forward. Their skin may be apale blue and the male elves can have large leg muscles enabling them toleap great distances.

Embodiments and implementations of the MMORPGS described herein canallow for substantial customization of character, which customizationmay have an impact on the character's behavior, adaptation, membershipin a community, a guild, a race, or a faction. Easter eggs or exploitsmay be provided to allow metagaming or special access to awards, goods,and powers to be gained by superior players. An Easer egg personalitytype is provided for nconventional behavior—Easter egg type tends toalso break character and grab the camera screen or press their face onthe lens.

Typically, other MMOs communicate using typed or spoken language. In thepresent embodiments, it may be desirable to have both voice and typedtext appear as a preselected language in a cartoon-like bubble near thespeaking characters. That is, speech-to-text may be used to communicatewith other users. Speech-to-text can allow players using differentlanguage to communicate for example via an automated translation module275, into their native tongue on their display. Atext-to-speech/speech-to-text module 270 also may be used to converttyped text to spoken native words of a player, further bringing multipledimensions of audiovisual communication together. This may allowhands-free speech during action periods of game playing and typed textwhen speech is unnecessary or undesired (e.g., in a covert militaryoperation). The selection of text, speech, native language, translation,or silent play are all options which may be selected by a player duringinitialization of a game 470 or during game modification 480. In typedspeech, punctuation marks (e.g., ! or ?) can be used to inflect aplayer's voice as “spoken” by the player's character. Although theautomated translation feature may be included in some embodiments, suchis not required by all embodiments.

Cut scenes are provided. During a game, a cut scene follows like animewith cinematic feel. The player will see his or her character in thegame cut scene. If the character has a selected personality type, thecharacter will respond in the cut scene saying various lines fitting tothe scene and selected personality.

Example MMORPGS Environment

An embodiment of the game consists of five continents, three of whichare occupied by a character faction from which players initially maychoose a character. There may be a northern continent, a westerncontinent, a southern continent, a central continent, and an easterncontinent. In general, the northern continent is inhabited by thefuturistic and science fiction-based elves. This continent can bechanged by the season but most locations are frozen due to the highlatitude located In the north. The landscape consists of high cliffswith floating mountains and has numerous waterfalls, with water fallingfrom the valleys. Characters that do not have supernatural powersselected for them, must prepare for freezing environments and base theirbehavior on the challenges presented by the “outside” temperature ofthis virtual continent. Because the pseudorandomizer 235 can act on theenvironmental motifs, snowstorms and ice flats may form and may changethe territory and challenges faced by the character.

The western continent can be inhabited by a general human race who arehighly adaptable as evidenced by their ranges of buildings—from simplestraw houses to futuristic buildings—having a generally real-worldwestern style. The western continent includes multiracial cities andtowns, having a diversity of construction and custom and making eachtown and city unique. The western continent is usually flat and filledwith meadows and fields overflowing with flowers, and can have highforests, but not jungles.

The central continent can be generally large with diverse landscape;some peaceful, some harsh and unfavorable. However such a largecontinent will have a diversity of other races and civilizations frowhich a payer may choose, which characters (through their correspondingplayers) may find and befriend or make war with a player's character,depending on the character's faction and their own preference.

The southern continent is primarily frozen all year round and is open toexploration. This continent environment is very unfavorable as it isalmost always engulfed in a brutal snow storm. However this continentcontains great secrets that will help players in the game greatly. Whenthe storm clears, and the secrets emerge, it may be one of thecontinents worth admiring.

In general, the eastern continent is inhabited by a race of dragon-likepeople; their buildings are Asian styled in a mix of Chinese andJapanese buildings. The eastern continent characters are traditionalist,preferring the past ways and buildings which will not totally destroythe environment. The buildings and streets are styled in the Sengoku eraof Japan or in a simple modern style. The world is changing but theirraces' cities are still unique even though they have been to forced tomodernize. It contains a peaceful and meditative environment in ruralareas as opposed to the chaotic cities where the other races live. Theircontinent landscapes are usually flat lands to snowy mountains and highcliffs. They have the most unique landscapes but, under the influence ofthe pseudorandomizer 235, may have extreme seasons and harmful storms.Spring usually brings rain and the eastern continent can be verypeaceful and radiate a golden-like aura in morning skies. Sakura treesalso bloom in eastern continent spring. Summer can generally be hot toextremely hot. When extremely hot, NPCs and characters may collapse fromheat stress unless they find ways to cool off. Fall is the start ofwinter where characters (and their corresponding players) can see theleaves change and fall; the characters can feel the weather coolingdown, and undertake behaviors to remain warm. In winter, snow falls andIs usually the time where people take hot spring baths or sit in roomswarmed by kotatsu. Despite seeming peaceful, the eastern continent isprone to storms, monsoonal rains, and sometimes even typhoons. This racedoes have cities but is not always modern however this race will displaya form of “golden” city or a past paradise.

In general, all capital cities on each continent contains a single largescience-fiction-style cylinder tower which expands greatly to the sky,this tower is the terminal in which ships from other locations may dockand unload passengers and goods. The terminal is enormous and can beseen on the outskirts of the city, maybe even further. The terminaldraws tremendous power from elemental ores which are condensed elements;or elements in stone form, which are produced by simply condensingelements. All races use elemental ores In one way or another. The oresare universal and can power anything from simple appliances andelectronics to high-end flying ships and great terminal towers. There isno pollution in city due to the world powered by the elemental ores. Theores do not have any side effect. It can be used up like fuel but theores will need to be created; as such will deplete the world supply.Each race has a solution to this. The Dragon of the east continent willask their dragon warden or gods for access to realms which generates theore elements, the northern elves may use alchemy to find a way todisregard the rules of equivalent change, the western human race mustchoose to steal or work as a mercenary group to factions in return forores as pay. Ores are used to barter for other goods, to produce energy,to be a cause of struggle for power, or to use as peace offerings. Orereserves can be displayed on a map on a near-real time basis, showingthe depletion in one region, and causing expeditions in search of ore inother regions. Other goods of merit can be weapons and armaments,clothing, foodstuffs, protective gear, fuel, medical gear, andcommunication equipment. Ores and goods of merit can be the focus ofcooperation, community interplay or war, or merit awards.

Wounded characters maybe healed using medical gear, food, warmth, and asupportive environment. Insufficient supply of any of these may retardrecovery and cause a character to be unable to play to full capacity.Each of these may be motifs under the control of a player client,server, zone server, or global server. Many other scenarios can beproposed and described but the availability of multiple motifs, appliedin a circumstance-appropriate manner, in accordance with programmedrules of the game, allow for a panoply of different scenarios,situations, character, and interactions.

Although the present invention has been described by way of example withreferences to the circuit drawings, it is to be noted herein thatvarious changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled inthe art. Therefore, unless such changes and modifications depart fromthe scope of the present invention, they should be construed as beingincluded therein.

The invention claimed is:
 1. An online game apparatus, comprising: agame network client having a multidimensional motif manager configuredto modify a preselected multidimensional motif, wherein the preselectedmultidimensional motif has at least five (5) dimensions; a game networkserver having a computer role playing game manager coupled to at leastone game network client and configured to modify a preselectedmultidimensional scenes-a-faire, wherein the preselectedmultidimensional scenes-a-faire is representative of a game characterenvironment; and an integrated communication device for providingmultisensory communication between a user and a game character, the gamecharacter environment or both, and configured to communicate with thegame network client and game network server; the game network client isconfigured to modify dimensionality of the preselected multidimensionalmotifs; an avatar-character manager that couples an avatar to a gamecharacter; wherein the game network client and the avatar-charactermanager are in bidirectional communication with the computer roleplaying game manager and a virtual world data database; and abidirectional automatic language translator from a first sensed languageto a second selected language, coupled to the game network server. 2.The online game apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an automaticspeech recognizer, coupled to the computer role playing game manager,causing the game network client to interact with the game network serveror the virtual world database, in response to recognized speech.
 3. Theonline game apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: plural gamenetwork clients; plural game network servers selectively coupled to theplural game network clients; and plural Web application serversselectively coupled to the plural game network clients and plural gamenetwork servers, ones of the plural Web application servers providing arespective virtual world database.
 4. The online game apparatus of claim3, wherein a first user using a first game network client communicateswith a second user using a second game network client using game networkserver or a Web application server.
 5. The online game apparatus ofclaim 4, wherein the first user using a first language mutually andcomprehensibly communicates with a second user using a second languageby operation of the automatic language translator.
 6. The online gameapparatus of claim 5, wherein a first user using a first game networkclient in a first zone communicates with the second user using a secondgame network client in a second zone.
 7. The online game apparatus ofclaim 4, wherein the first user in a first zone using a first languagemutually and comprehensibly communicates with a second user in a secondzone using a second language, by operation of the automatic languagetranslator.
 8. The online game apparatus of claim 6, wherein the firstuser using the first language bidirectionally communicates with thesecond user using the second language.
 9. The online game apparatus ofclaim 8, wherein users bidirectionally communicate with respective gamenetwork clients using respective speech-to-text or text-to-speechmodules.
 10. The online game apparatus of claim 9, wherein theintegrated communication device further comprises at least one motionsensor communicating with the game network client.
 11. The online gameapparatus of claim 10, wherein the integrated communication devicefurther comprises a video projector coupled to the game network clientthat communicates with the user.
 12. The online game apparatus of claim3, wherein selected ones of the plural game network clients communicatewith selected ones of the plural game network servers to form a zone,wherein each zone comprises a channel, wherein the selected ones of theplural game network servers cooperatively balance the number of channelsin a zone according to the number of users.
 13. The online gameapparatus of claim 3, wherein each of the plural network servers and theplural Web applications are formed in respective clusters operatingimplementing failover.
 14. An online game apparatus, comprising: a gamenetwork client providing multidimensional motifs and a multidimensionalscenes-a-faire; a game network server coupled to a game network client,wherein the game network server includes a multidimensional motifmanager, and a computer role playing game manager, the multidimensionalmotif manager being in communication with the computer role playing gamemanager together configured to change a dimensionality of amultidimensional motif or a multidimensional scenes-a-faire, wherein themultidimensional motif corresponds to a game character, and wherein themultidimensional scenes-a-faire is representative of the game characterenvironment; an integrated communication device providing communicationbetween a user and the game character; and a Web application serverincluding the game network server, and a virtual world data database,wherein the game network server adaptively manipulates the gamecharacter or the game character environment in response to the virtualworld data, wherein Web application server further includes the gamenetwork client operated by a respective user and the integratedcommunication device providing communication between a first user and asecond user and further comprising an automatic language translatorwhich translates from a first sensed language to a second selectedlanguage, and which is coupled to the computer role playing gamemanager.
 15. The online game apparatus of claim 14, further comprisingan automatic speech recognizer, coupled to the computer role playinggame manager, causing the respective user to interact with at least oneof the game network client, the game network server, or the Webapplication server, in response to recognized speech.
 16. The onlinegame apparatus of claim 15, wherein a user bidirectionally communicateswith the game network client, the game network server, or the Webapplication server using speech-to-text or text-to-speech modules.